There is a wide variety of cooking oils and butter to choose from on today’s supermarket shelves. Oils are used to help in the cooking process and improve the flavor of foods. Some are healthier than others.
Canola oil — Canola oil is a popular oil, with many physicians claiming that it has the ability to lower the risk of heart disease. The oil is low in saturated fat, high in monounsaturated fat, and offers the best fatty acid composition when compared to other oils.
You can use canola oil in sauting, as a marinade and even in low temperature stir frying. It has
a bland flavor, which makes it a great oil for foods that contain many spices. Unlike other oils, canola oil won’t interfere with the taste of your food.
Olive oil — Olive oil offers a very distinct flavor along with plenty of heart healthy ingedients. The oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, helps to lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk the of cancer. It’s also rich in antioxidants and has a very long storage life.
Even though it can be used in cooking, it’s the healthiest when uncooked, such as with a salad or
dipping sauce. When you use it with cooking, you should heat it on low to medium temperatures, making sure to avoid high heat.
Butter — Butter is one food that has been around for many years. Butter tastes good, and is a sources of Vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins such as E, K, and even D. Butter is also made from natural ingredients and is not chemically or artificially processed.
You can use butter with cooking, baking, or even as a spread. You can also pair it with creamy sauces, marinades, baked dishes, or even bread.
Margarine — Margarine was first introduced as an alternative to high fat butter. When it was first created however, it was loaded with trans fat, a substance that we now know raises bad cholesterol.
As a cooking oil, margarine tastes good, it’s lower in fat than most oils and butter, and it’s quite
easy to spread. It’s available in a variety of different products and a good source of vitamin E.
When it comes to cooking with oils, there are many to choose from; many more in addition to what we discussed above. However, they are the most popular and readily available. Healthy eating comes from cooking healthy food – which is where your cooking oil really takes center stage.